Rebekah Suwak

Senior Staff Writer

Kid Cudi performs on the main stage at BUKU Music + Art Project in New Orleans, LA, on Friday, March 8. / Alexandria Chura/FSView

Lead vocalist of Passion Pit, Michael Angelakos, performs on the main stage at BUKU Music + Art Project in New Orleans, LA, on Saturday, March 9. / Alex Chura/FSView

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Returning for its second run in New Orleans, LA, BUKU Music + Art Project kicked off this past Friday, March 8, through Saturday, March 9.

The two-day fest included performances from headliners Flux Pavilion, Kid Cudi, Passion Pit, Public Enemy, Kendrick Lamar, Nero and DJ Zedd. Each day brought in over 12,000 guests from all 50 states to enjoy the mix of national and international talent.

Upon entering the Big Easy, lines of cars sporting BUKU signs and stickers built up a contagion of good vibes and excitement for the adventures the next two days had in store. Surrounded by the energy of the city along the Mississippi River, the festival grounds were set to the backdrop of an abandoned power plant and a massive bridge crossing the river; the environment was centered on the growth and expansion of creativity.

The “Float Den” stage was housed in a massive warehouse that holds authentic, vivid Mardi Gras floats. Fest-goers had the pleasure of viewing performances within the home of the best floats in the country, located just off the breezy Mississippi.

As the sun set Friday evening, funk band Lettuce brought in the groove for the crowd to pump up the night with Grateful Dead visuals to match their remix of “Move on Up.”

Lights began to shine off the bridge over the Mississippi and the red sunset sky faded to black. UK dubstep DJ and producer Flux Pavilion took the “Power Plant" stage and pumped out hits “Bass Cannon” and “I Can’t Stop,” along with remixes of “Cracks” and “Gold Dust.”

“I think it’s a really great thing to have things like BUKU happening over in the US,” said Flux Pavilion. “It’s not just a big party, it's also a celebration of the creativity that brings people happiness.”

Self expression was evident the entire weekend through BUKU's eclectic display of graffiti art and live designs that showcased themes of power, light, beauty and knowledge.

“I’m inspired by fantasy, also a lot by art and comics and their stories,” Flux said. “When I sit down to write music I like to imagine scenes and different worlds in my head and try to tell a story from what I’ve imagined.”

The telling of a story is evident in original tracks like “Scientist,” which Flux chose to enthrall the crowd with Friday evening. His multifaceted sound confirms the fluidity of EDM music.

“I don’t think people will ever stop making electronic music, while the progression really lies in the hands of the producers experimenting with the sound,” Flux said. “I have been very excited for the past two years about the rise in electronic music’s popularity; I really hope it continues to move forward.”

Holding a presence in the uniqueness of the genre as it spreads worldwide, Flux recently issued a musical endeavor a long time in the making.

“I just released my biggest project, Blow the Roof, which I have been working on for the past few years,” Flux said. “I am super happy with it, moving forward I am going to continue expanding my creativity and seeing what I come up with.”

Flux paved the way for the lively Kid Cudi to deliver a strong performance, with hits and songs that branched across all of his albums. Cudi had the crowd wild and dancing for over an hour with gems like “Mr. Rager” and “Pursuit of Happiness." Cudi’s encore bled over into the momentum and energy exploding from DJ Zedd's set, who brought Flux onstage. Datsik took the ballroom stage shortly after and had the bass booming with the remix of “Gold Dust.”

Saturday’s lineup boasted notable up-and-comers, Flosstradamus and Kendrick Lamar, who dropped heavy bass laden beats and had the crowd jumping. The second day included energetic performances from Big Freedia and Big Gigantic. House maestro Calvin Harris also played a notable set, with close to two hours of crowd surfing and individuals who just couldn’t seem to keep their feet on the floor.

STS9’s two full sets solidified Saturday evening and attendance numbers were high; Sound Tribe laid down funky beats and had the whole crowd grooving from the start with opening tracks “Kabuki” and “Hidden hand Hidden Fist.” Sound Tribe's second set embodied a whole new energy stronger than the first, and they pulled in popular hits “Scheme” and “When the Dust Settles.”

Filling the "Float Den" with dancing feet and fest-goers ready to keep the night flowing, Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic joined Sound Tribe for their second set to everyone’s pleasant surprise.

Wrapping up the night with dubstep DJs Nero and Dillion Francis, BUKU Music + Art Project 2013 boasted a solid lineup, diverse vendors and extensive art; the fest gave the Big Easy a chance to showcase its unbounded creativity.